I love Pepperony in their contemporary setting. But I always felt that Tony's personal transformation into Iron Man, would make a great medieval fantasy story. The one thing I do not like about most medieval fiction is that the lady always needs rescuing. So Pepper's strong, independent attitude could translate to a medieval damsel who could take care of herself.

This chapter contains some violence and mention of torture. All quotes are from the great Rumi. I own nothing, not even the house I live in. Marvel owns everything, all HAIL Marvel. I am just a typist. Tony and Pepper are all Marvel, not mine.

Thanks for reading. From what I've seen, the Pepperony community, be it Tumblr or the halls of Fanfiction (AO3, , LiveJournal etc.) is one of the BEST fanfiction communities out there. So if I've made even 1 Pepperony fan happy, I will be happy.


Do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know the side you are used to is better than the one to come?

He had been to Heaven. It was nothing but a collection of contrasts. A firm yet soft breast. Fragrant curves and nooks. Sometimes the valley was generous and undulating, sometimes lean and languorous. It didn't matter as long as the angels understood they had to leave the bed after the act was over. Harsh but necessary. And most of them left. The stubborn ones, well, he had a way of kicking them out.

Surely this was Hell. Or at least the road to it.

An endless landscape of blinding white.. stretching on forever. The cold had seeped into his bones, he felt as if he would never feel warm again.

He was walking against the wind, each step a struggle. Some part of him was bleeding, so he left a faint trail of red on the white snow. He didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted to lie down and become part of the white background. What reason did he have to live ? There was nothing but blood and fire and death. He stopped his slow march and looked around.

There, under the mighty oak Tree. A good place to die. He dragged himself to the base of the tree and leaned against the stump. And tried to recall the prayers his mother had taught him, so long long ago.

He did not know how long he sat there. But he heard them before he saw them. There were four of them, spread out, all in dark grey, like shadows. They were muttering to each other. And trying to corral him. He really didn't want to fight anymore. They could do what they wanted with him. So he let them drag him away.

x-x-x-x

The smell of incense. A burning, throbbing ache in his chest. And a face with a toothless grin and shrunken eyes. He fumbled for his sword but it appeared he was tied to whatever he was lying on. The face made a soothing noise and leaned close to him.

"This won't hurt much, my Lord. Be strong." Then the face stuck a long stick in his own mouth. A blue light began to shine from him. He slowly pulled the stick out and in a swift motion, pulled off the bandage on Tony's chest and inserted the stick in his chest.

Tony saw the blue light inflame his chest and he screamed. The crazy man had set him on fire! He struggled against his bonds as his chest began to burn with a bright blue flame. He closed his eyes against the blinding pain. Underneath his lashes, he could see flashes of light and then darkness.

Something was pressed to his lips. "Drink, Lord Stark, drink and embrace the blue depths of aternum. Become one with Ryunn". He took a sip. It tasted vile and his throat began to burn with the same intensity as his chest. Then he felt raw light coursing through his veins.

He suddenly opened his eyes to see endless bursts of blue flame enshrouded by darkness. There was a being in the flame. He saw it then, a giant red eye with a triangular pupil, with peered at him. It hissed "And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. I am looking into you, Tony Stark, look into me and accept the gift you are about to receive."

He heard a booming laugh and the eye faded away. Then he saw the blue flame come towards him and engulf him whole.

Suddenly the toothless face jumped back into his sight. He joyously shrieked towards the skies. "Witness the death of man and the rebirth of Ryunn's vessel!" There was smoke coming out of his chest. How was that possible? Tony stared at the old man with horror. He bellowed "What have you done to me.. why is there fire in my chest? Why you warlock, I will wring your scrawny neck! " and with a new found strength, he ripped off the ropes that bound him and leapt for the wizened fiend.

Who nimbly danced out of reach, cackling all the while. "My lord, you have been accepted by the Imperial Dragon, as his vessel. I never thought this would happen. Yippee!" And he began to dance in an unholy manner. Tony stared at him. His chest was burning but not with pain. He looked down and saw a blue flame, burning bright from within. He felt... alive. The wizard came closer and hesitantly reached towards the flame. Tony caught his hand, scared of what the wizard would do. But the wizard murmured to him softly, as if he were an injured animal. "Do not be afraid, my lord, I know it is a lot to take in. But you have been brought back from death, for a higher purpose." His tone was so soothing that Tony didn't even notice that the wizard had covered the flamed hole with a steel ringed glass lid, emblazoned with a symbol. Tony felt really calm now. He traced the symbol with his fingers. It was an inverted triangle in a circle. He sighed and tapped the steel absently with his fingers, the gentle tik tik sound soothing him even more.

x-x-x-x

The wizard's name was Yin Sen. He was from a far away land, somewhere towards the East of the world. He explained to Tony, that he belonged to an ancient order called the Monks of Ryunn, servants of a mighty dragon, who created the world. Long ago, when the Earth was still young, Ryunn fought an ancient evil threatening to destroy his new creation. The evil force was too strong and in its quest to protect humankind, the dragon sacrificed itself, destroying the evil with its life fire. With its dying breath, it urged the people of Earth, to protect instead of destroy and to do more with their lives. It then burst into blue flame, engulfing all those who stood near it. They realized they were chosen by the dragon to be its knights. And they were blessed with its strength in the form of a blue flame, burning within them. The flame granted them superior strength and reflexes as well as an extended life span.

The flame was not passed from father to child. Instead it seemed to be sentient and would choose who should be blessed with its presence. Only few were regarded as worthy enough and in turn, they would seek out successors and let the flame to judge if it should move on or not. Yin Sen was one such chosen knight. He has decided to travel far from his homeland, seeking to spread the word of Ryunn to other lands.

At this point, Yin Sen sighed deeply and sat down. A fearful look came into his eyes. Then he explained where they were and what was going to happen.

x-x-x-x

Yin Sen had failed to find anyone worthy in this land. He was set to travel to another land, when he was kidnapped by a sect known as the Ten Rings, led by a powerful sorcerer, Stane. He had heard of Ryunn's gift and wanted the power of the fire for himself, so that he could rule the land. He urged Yin Sen to pass the flame onto him. Yin Sen refused at first but Stane had him tortured until, in his weakened state, he agreed to release the flame. But Stane was rejected by the flame. In his rage, he imprisoned Yin Sen in this mountain fort, determined to figure out how to extract the flame from him. Yin Sen had been a prisoner for eight long months. From time to time, Stane would visit him and try different techniques to obtain the flame. All attempts had failed so far. And Yin Sen himself, had become weak from each torturous experiment. He did not know how long he could last.

x-x-x-x

Tony got his strength back over the next few days. Yin Sen taught him a few Eastern fighting techniques to keep him limber and to test his body's connection with the flame. Aside from a burning sensation from time to time, he felt fine. He didn't even feel the cold any more.

The serpentine whispers of the dragon took getting used to. At first, he thought he was going mad when he heard the loud whispering voice in his mind but Yin Sen explained that the dragon was living inside him and would speak to him from time to time. Time to time was an understatement. It seemed to love giving its opinion on everything it saw. Tony thought it would be noble and dignified but instead it was very sarcastic and mischievous.

One day Stane came to visit them.

x-x-x-x

Tony stretched himself after his workout. Yin Sen dozed lightly on his bed. Suddenly their holding areas gate opened and a dozen guards poured into the room. One of them roughly prodded Yin Sen awake. Before Tony could react, two guards came over and subdued him, then tied his hands behind his back and pushed him to his knees. The same was done to Yin Sen. A loud clanging bell was rung and two men entered the room.

The first man was clearly a soldier. He was short but broad and bronzed. He had a vicious scar across his right eye and carried a vicious scimitar at his waist. He glanced around, found everything to his satisfaction and then bowed deeply while the second man entered.

This man reeked of death and destruction. Tall and bald with a great grey beard. Clad in flowing robes of purple.

Tony's chest began to burn. He heard the dragon whisper, Stane will not get what he wants. Stand strong, Anthony. This man can be defeated.

Stane walked over to him and ordered the guards to make him stand up. He looked into the man's cold blue eyes.

"Lord Stark, your legend precedes you". He bowed deeply. "I am Obadiah Stane, necromancer from the land of Moria." A guard hit Tony in the knee, so he was forced to bow.

"You've met Yin Sen, our Eastern friend who has the gift of the dragon. I hope you like each other. And"... he tapped Tony's chest with a long curved cane "I see the flame has chosen you."

Stane 's eyes glittered with envy. "Well, there's no accounting for taste, I must admit."

Tony asked firmly "What do you want with us, Stane?"

"My lord, I simply want the power of the blue flame. But alas, it does not want me. Yin Sen must have enlightened you on how much I and him have struggled to pass on its presence. But no success there either. So I decided, if I can't have the flame, I'm going to control the one who has it."

Yin Sen gasped at this and Tony asked "What do you mean, control?"

Stane smiled wickedly and said, "I have the power to control human minds and now since the flame is within you, I shall break your will and bind you to my command. Then you shall use the flame to do my bidding, Lord Stark. Unfortunately, I have another matter to attend to, so you still have your senses... for now." He laughed at this and left.

Then Raza came over and snarled at Tony, "We have heard much of your skill at inventing and craftsmanship. Till the time my liege Stane returns, you will build a suit of armor, so that once your mind is taken, you will be a mighty armored foe."

Tony spat at him and said "Never."

Raza simply stared at him coldly and said "My Lord Stark, you will obey our word, one way or the other."

x-x-x-x

They tortured him for three days straight.

Endless head dunking in ice cold water, till his lungs felt as if they would burst.

Chaining him outside the fort for half hour intervals in the freezing cold.

Then he was hung upside down and hit across the chest, with a stick.

On the fourth day, they brought Yin Sen and were going to pluck out his eyes with tongs, so Tony finally gave in and agreed to build the suit.